What can I see with MoviePass?

The MoviePass card is actually a branded Discover Card, so it should be accepted at any theater with a ticket kiosk that accepts Discover for payment. This includes most (but not all) of the theater chains in America. Many independently owned and operated theaters also accept Discover, so you should be able to use your MoviePass there. However, you can only see movies at venues that are listed in the app. Even if a theater is listed in the app, not every movie showing will necessarily be available to purchase with MoviePass. This can effectively limit your choices based on where you live. You can see which theaters in your area accept MoviePass at their website before you sign up.

The theater in my neighborhood doesn’t accept MoviePass. That theater was one I used to go to often, but I haven’t been there since joining MoviePass. I might have felt bad if it were a locally owned theater, but it’s part of the Landmark chain and I think Mark Cuban will survive without my business. This is not that big a deal for me as there are a number of multiplexes also within walking distance. If you live outside of a metropolitan area, you may have to drive a bit to get to one multiplex, let alone several. More theaters means more availability and greater variety. Since you can only see each movie once with your MoviePass, having a good selection of movies in your area is also key to getting the most value from your membership.

According to IMDB, as I write this, there are 90 movies playing near the 10002 zip code. Besides the chain multiplex theaters that show the major releases, there are also many independent movie houses, arts institutions and museums that show a wide variety of smaller films, foreign releases and revivals of classic and cult favorites. These venues will often feature special appearances by filmmakers, actors, or other film luminaries for a panel discussion or audience Q&A post screening included with admission. However, if I punch in the zip code 12754, which is for the town of Liberty, NY about 100 miles north of The Lower East Side, the number of movies drops to 17. Also worth noting is that the closest theater to Liberty is 20 miles outside of town.

One thing that may not be obvious since MoviePass doesn’t seem to play this up is that you can see Fathom Events with your MoviePass. They’re listed in the app just like any other movie. I saw a Josh Groban concert, as shown in the demo video, and I also saw a surf movie called A Deeper Shade of Blue. You can’t buy tickets in advance, so you might have difficulty getting tickets for a more popular event (especially after the introduction of the Countdown Clock by MoviePass).

Overall, though not unlimited, I was way more than satisfied with the amount of movies available to see with my MoviePass in the 11 months I used the service prior to the Countdown Clock stipulation. Come back and see how I feel about the service since then, and be sure to check out the other articles in my series on MoviePass:

• My MoviePass Profile (11/4/2013)

• A hidden MoviePass Countdown Clock limitation (11/12/2013)

• Why MoviePass Is Bringing Subscription Moviegoing To Theaters (11/21/2013)

• What is MoviePass? (11/25/2013)

• My MoviePass experience (11/25/2013)

• How does MoviePass work (and what happens when it doesn’t)? (11/25/2013)

• What can I see with MoviePass? (11/25/2013)

• A day is 24 hours, but 24 hours is not a day (11/25/2013)

• Why I can’t recommend MoviePass (and why I won’t be renewing my subscription anytime soon) (11/25/2013)

• Beat the Clock & Buy Advance Tickets with MoviePass (11/28/2013)